Ebbsfleet manager Steve Brown is ready to open contract talks with his players now that his own future at Stonebridge Road has been settled.

Brown’s new deal, which runs until the end of 2015/16, means he will definitely be the Fleet manager next season whether or not he leads them to promotion first. And that, he hopes, will persuade key players to follow in his footsteps and re-commit themselves to the club for another 12 months.

Brown said: "I know that success will have to come at some point. I hope it’s this year. But if it’s not this year, at least I’ve been given the assurance by the board that I’ve got time to develop this squad and the football club.

"That’s shown the players the club has faith in us. Hopefully, that’ll allow me to talk to players, at the right time and they’ll know there’s stability. Players like to know what’s going on at the football club. They don’t like to think there’s a possibility the manager could change in the summer. It makes them reluctant to sign on."

Some punters had Ebbsfleet down as Skrill South title favourites when they were taken over by Kuwaiti investors last summer. And when Brown’s side won only one of their first nine league games, the former Charlton player started to come under scrutiny.

But the 41-year-old said: "There’s never been any pressure from above. Let’s not forget, we started with nine points from nine games. It wasn’t the start I was looking for and it wasn’t the start the players were looking for but I never once got any pressure from above. It was all relaxed.

"The board have been fantastic and (the chairman) Dr Abdulla’s been fantastic in terms of patience and in terms of backing."